


The Dog Days of Christmas

by LikeASwitchInHeat



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Christmas Fluff, First Meetings, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, dog walker au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-23 20:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17087096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeASwitchInHeat/pseuds/LikeASwitchInHeat
Summary: Rhett is new in town, and Link is helping him find his bearings. Rhett winds up needing him a bit more than anticipated.





	The Dog Days of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [les342](https://archiveofourown.org/users/les342/gifts).



Rhett stuffed his gloved fingers into the pockets of his puffy winter coat. He had lived there a week now, and still could not believe how cold it was in New York this early in December. Back in North Carolina it was still good late fall weather. Heck, he’d been hiking with his dad and brother just the weekend before he moved. And no one had been wearing a scarf or winter hat or anything. He looked down at Barbara, feeling guilty as she shivered in the cool morning breeze. It wasn’t snowing, but it was certainly cold enough, and Rhett wouldn’t be surprised if there was some snow later in the day. Central Park was cast in a lavender blush, the morning frost twinkling in the twilight. 

“Aww, poor thing. You should be wearing a coat, honey.” 

Rhett didn’t look up immediately, but there was no one else around. To be honest, he’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even heard the stranger’s approach until he had spoken. But surely, he couldn’t be talking to him? Rhett was no ‘poor thing’. Not yet anyway, though he had been struggling to land a job since his arrival. But that was beside the point, Rhett had a coat! And why was this guy calling him ‘honey’? Rhett reckoned he wouldn’t have minded if he did, now that he’d gotten a proper look at him. Gosh, he was good looking. 

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not talkin’ to you, dummy. I’m talking to your poor, sweet furry companion here. Shivering her poor little paws off!”

Rhett managed to tear his eyes away from the handsome stranger, and considered the dog that he was walking. A little dachshund wearing a festively themed coat. 

“Okay, that is adorable,” Rhett conceded. “I didn’t know people really put their dogs in clothes, except for celebrities, or on tv or whatever.”

“Heck yeah!” The man exclaimed. He seemed scandalized by the fact that Rhett did not know this. “Costs, sweaters, little booties. Especially when it’s cold and windy like this. I mean, you wouldn’t wanna be out here nude, would ya?”

Rhett cocked an eyebrow, causing the other man to blush. Or maybe his cheeks were just rosy from the cold?

“Well, listen, even if you are into that kinky exhibitionist stuff, it’s just too dang cold for it.”

“What makes you think I was suggesting that?” Rhett teased, trying his best to charm this dog-coat enthusiast. “You never thought about doing one of them polar bear plunges?”

“Why in the world would I wanna do a thing like that?” 

There was something in his dialect that caught Rhett’s ear. Something in the way he accentuated the H in the word ‘why’. And the nonexistent H in ‘world’. It was very familiar... could he be from the south, too?

“You’re right, though. I probably should get Barbara here some winter gear. I just moved here ‘bout a week ago, from North Carolina. To be honest, I just hadn’t thought of it.”

“Hey, I’m from North Carolina!” 

_What are the chances?!_ Rhett thought to himself. 

“Listen, man. I actually own a pet supplies store.” He handed Rhett a business card. “Why don’t you stop by sometime and pick out some stuff for... Barbara, was it? I’ll give you a deal, since you’re new in town. Maybe you can buy a nice toy or treat for her too, to make up for making her walk around in the cold stark naked for the past week!”

Rhett looked down at the card, and snort-laughed. The name of his shop was Doggie Style Pets. But what he’d been really looking for was his name: Link Neal. 

“I really appreciate that, Link. My name’s Rhett. Glad to meet you. It’s a little embarrassing,” he admitted, “but I really could use that discount, too. Been struggling to find myself a job since I got here.”

“That so? Well, as it happens, I could use the help with my store. It’s a really busy time of year: people buyin’ gifts, needing dog-walking or dog-sitting when they are out of town for the holidays. If you would be interested, I could take you on. Then you and Barbara would have a standing employee discount for all of her needs.”

“Wow. That... that would be incredible. Are you sure? I mean... I don’t wanna be taking advantage.”

“Nah, man. And I was serious. I do need the help! Stop by the store when you can, we’ll get your paperwork together and you can get started right away. You can bring Barbara to work, too.” He gestured down toward Barbara and his own dog, who were sniffing each other and circling each other, occasionally nuzzling noses. “I think she and Jade are really hitting it off.”

—————

Rhett had no shame in taking Link up on his offer. And Link hadn’t simply been being gracious in giving Rhett the opportunity. Business _was _booming at Doggie Style. Link wasted no time in bringing him up to speed on bathing the dogs, and trimming their nails. He was a bit possessive over managing the calendar of appointments, but Rhett was able to take on a lot of the drop-in visits, and daytime walking responsibilities. It was a great way for him to familiarize himself with his new city. And working with Link everyday had given him not only employment, but his first New York friend. He and Link simply ‘got’ each other. It hardly felt like work, it just felt like hanging out with a buddy. And getting to bring Barbara to work was a huge asset. He had worried about how she would adjust to the move. But now, watching her and Jade chase each other around the shop, he didn’t think she’d ever been happier.__

__“You feelin’ okay, Rhett?”_ _

__Rhett looked up from the empty counter he’d been absently staring at._ _

__“Huh? Oh, yeah. I was just... trying to remember something.” Rhett didn’t know how else to explain the frequency with which he had been zoning out. It really wasn’t like him, but Link didn’t know him well enough to know that. There was a lot of work to be done, but it wasn’t enough to be wearing him out the way it had. And Rhett liked his job, it should have been energizing, not draining. Maybe it was the stress of moving catching up to him. He’d been riding the high of the endorphins of the new experiences and surroundings. But he needed to get it together, or Link would start to question his judgment in hiring him. Rhett didn’t want to lose his job, and he really didn’t want to disappoint Link. And he knew that it didn’t entirely have to do with Link being his boss. If he was honest with himself, Rhett had a crush._ _

__“Why don’t you take a lunch break or something? Maybe try to snap yourself out of it?”_ _

__“Nah, man... it’s all right. Working will keep me more awake. And there’s lots to do, and I’m not really all that hungry, to be honest...” That was weird, Rhett thought as he trailed off. He was always hungry. Like. Always hungry. Rhett wrapped his arms more tightly around himself, and tried to stop his body from shaking and his teeth from chattering._ _

__“Rhett, I’m worried,” Link insisted. “You’re sweating. And I know my cheap-ass doesn’t have the heat on any higher than what’s comfortable for the dogs.”_ _

__“‘m fine... I promisslink. I...” Rhett could almost feel the way his words ran together. Yet they weren’t quite tangible enough for him to grab onto and pull them apart as they came slurring from his chattering teeth._ _

__“Man, you have got to lie down.”_ _

__Link looked so beautiful, Rhett thought. Big blue eyes full of worry. And as Rhett watched Link’s shaky hand coming toward his face, he wondered if Link might kiss him._ _

__“What’re you? What... wh...” Why weren’t the words coming? Rhett wondered. He thought maybe he should be more concerned about that, but concern seemed like an awful lot of work right about now._ _

__Link’s hand pressed against Rhett’s damp forehead. Link’s palm felt mercifully cool on his skin. “You’re burning up, Rhett!”_ _

__Link started stripping Rhett’s hoodie from him in a near panic. “Shoot! Rhett, your arms.... how long have you had this rash?”_ _

__“Link... man,” Rhett felt like he was in some kind of dream state. Everything was moving in slow motion. He felt like he had no control over what he was saying or doing. “You don’ hafta gimme undressed... you’ve already done enough for me...” Link looked so upset. Rhett thought that was a shame, Link was too pretty and too kind to be so upset. Rhett decided to rest his eyes for a moment. Then maybe he could think of a way to help Link._ _

__“Rhett! No! Stay with me, brother. Keep talking to me.”_ _

__“I do wanna talk to you more. I’m just gonna take a break. Then I’ll talk. I like talking to you.” Rhett was vaguely aware of a thermometer being slid under his tongue._ _

__“I like talking to you, too, Rhett. That’s why you gotta stay awake for me!”_ _

__Link was still speaking. Rhett could hear the lovely tones of his new favorite voice. But the voice was still upset, and it didn’t sound like he was talking to Rhett. Must be a customer, because Link was giving them the address to the store._ _

__Rhett never heard the sirens, or saw the flashing lights before consciousness slipped away from him._ _

__—————_ _

__Rhett woke up in a hospital bed. He could smell the sterile air before he saw the fluorescent lighting or the clinically neutral colored walls. He looked around and saw Link, slumped back in an uncomfortable looking chair, asleep with his mouth hanging open. Rhett squinted and he thought he saw some drool at the edge of his mouth._ _

__Rhett’s first thought was how adorable he looked like that. It wasn’t a very flattering look, but something about the rawness of the moment made it seem so intimate. He wondering if Link fell asleep on the sofa like that. Or on long car rides. Did anyone lucky enough to fall asleep next to him also wake up to a pile of drool on the pillow?_ _

__His consciousness then expanded enough for it to really hit him. That he was in fact in a hospital bed. He had an IV in his arm. He didn’t love that. He turned his neck to try to read the bag of whatever was being run into him. Doxycyc-something-or-other._ _

__“You’re awake!” Link announced, seeming comparably disoriented. “I’ll uh... I’ll let your nurse know._ _

__“Hold on,” Rhett asked weakly. He wasn’t sure he was ready to be rushed by the hospital staff. He felt so groggy. But not as strange as he somewhat remembered feeling before waking up in the hospital. All hot and cold at the same time._ _

__Link looked wrecked, Rhett noticed. He looked as tired as Rhett felt, and his hair was all disheveled. Rhett felt bad about that, because he could almost guarantee that he’d been the cause of Link’s distress._ _

__“Just give me a minute to get my bearings back before we call everyone in here.”_ _

__“Sure, Rhett,” Link scraped his chair forward to sit closer to Rhett’s bedside. “I was so worried about you, man...”_ _

__Flashes of consciousness were returning to Rhett in the form of fuzzy memories. He couldn’t really see Link in any of them. But he knew he was there. He could smell him, or feel him. Holding his hand in the ambulance. Dabbing the cold sweat from his fevered brow. Distantly humming and singing to him. Apologizing for his inability to carry a tune, yet relentlessly carrying on quietly serenading his questionably lucid friend all the same. With the sweetest, most healing sounds that Rhett could just hardly remember. He wondered if Link would want to sing to him now that he was awake. Well, maybe not _now_. But later. _ _

__Between Link and the medical staff, everyone filled Rhett in on what had transpired. Evidently, he had contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever._ _

__“The diagnosis was fairly straight forward, given your symptoms and social history. You’re lucky: not everyone gets the telltale rash. That really saved some time in narrowing down the diagnosis. Combined with the information your friend was able to give us about hiking in North Carolina recently, we didn’t delay in starting the antibiotic. You got here just in time, Mr McLaughlin. This could have been much more serious. We want to keep you here overnight, just to get some more fluids into you, and keep an eye on the spot of fluid in your lungs before sending you home with oral antibiotics. Do you live alone, Mr McLaughlin?”_ _

__This was a lot of information. Rhett almost didn’t know the answer to her question, he was so overwhelmed. He stared blankly for a moment before responding. “Um. Yes, I do.”_ _

__“You’re going to be very weak for a few days. _At least_ a few days. As far as the disease progressed, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was closer to a week before feeling back to your normal self again. You might want to consider some help, or staying with friends or family until you have more of your strength back.”_ _

__Rhett was too embarrassed to say in front of the doctor that he didn’t _have_ any friends or family nearby. And that wasn’t her problem. It was his. So he just nodded her his thanks, and sat quietly as she exited. _ _

__Rhett didn’t have much opportunity to dwell on how he was going to manage his recovery on his own. The moment the door closed on the two of them, Link announced, “Well, you’ll be staying with me.”_ _

__Rhett opened his mouth to... well, not argue. But maybe confirm that he’d really thought it through? Link was having none of it._ _

__“Don’t even try to argue. Barbara’s already there with Jade. Who do you think has been taking care of her while you’ve been out of commission? And who else is gonna take care of you once you’re discharged?”_ _

__Rhett didn’t want to argue with that logic. He didn’t want to argue. And frankly, he was simply too freakin’ tired to even try._ _

__—————_ _

__Rhett knew that he should feel at least somewhat uncomfortable about it. He and Link still technically hadn’t known each other for all that long. And here he was, shacking up with him. And the week leading up to Christmas, too!_ _

__But somehow he just couldn’t bring himself to feel like an imposition. The whole experience with his sickness, and Link taking care of him at the hospital seemed to have brought them a lot closer a lot faster than might have happened along a more natural timeline. And then there was the fact that Link made it impossible for Rhett to feel unwelcome in his home. He seemed giddy over the opportunity. Like they were kids getting to have a weeklong sleepover during their Christmas break._ _

__Of course, they weren’t on their Christmas break, and business was still in full swing at Doggie Style. Link relinquished control of his precious books over to Rhett, so he could handle all the paperwork, expenses, scheduling, and phone calls from the more calm atmosphere of Link’s apartment. That freed Link up to do the more physical tasks of walking, and grooming the dogs._ _

__It really warmed Rhett’s heart to see Barbara so happy with Jade, as well. They would chase each other around the apartment all day, and snuggle up together to rest during the evenings._ _

__The evenings were Rhett’s favorite time of day. When Link got home from the shop, and they got to ‘play house’ together._ _

__“I wish I knew how to cook, so I could make you nice dinners and stuff, but any attempt would likely land you right back in the hospital,” Link assured him._ _

__So, they ate a lot of takeout. Link would change into pajama pants and an old t-shirt and snuggle onto the opposite end of the sofa. They’d watch whatever movies Rhett recommended. He was shocked at how few classic movies Link had managed to see in his lifetime! They watched a lot of comedies, and classic ‘80s stuff. They would make their own Mystery Science Theater 3000 style commentary. Surely the doxycycline played a role, but laughing with Link was truly the best medicine._ _

__It was only a couple days before Christmas when Rhett decided that he couldn’t pretend he was not feeling well anymore. Reluctantly, he had to admit that he was feeling well enough to get around on his own._ _

__Link looked visibly disappointed by this revelation._ _

__“I mean, it’s great that you’re feeling better, Rhett. I didn’t want you to be sick forever. I hadn’t wanted you to be sick at all... You know what I mean. I just. I did like getting to spend all this time with you. And I had kinda gotten to thinkin’ that you might ‘have to’ spend Christmas here, too.”_ _

__“I’ve really liked being here, too, Link. With you. And, well... I probably don’t have to spend Christmas here on account of my not feeling well. But I still could... just because... if you want me to?”_ _

__“I really do want you to...”_ _

__Rhett could feel the blush creeping up his face. “I didn’t realize you were a big Christmas person. There’s no decorations around here.”_ _

__“Well, I haven’t had much time. I’m short an employee at work, and busy taking care of an invalid at home.” Link winked at Rhett._ _

__“Now that I'm getting my strength back, I could help out a little more? Maybe make this place look a little more festive. Maybe put something on the table that didn’t come out of a takeout container.”_ _

__“Rhett, I would love it if you would stay, and help me get into the Christmas spirit.”_ _

__Barbara and Jade were circling their feet excitedly. Like they’d understood the exchange, and were as happy as their daddies to be spending the holiday together. And of their own free will, and not out of need or obligation._ _

__By the end of the day, and Rhett was sure he was living the final scene of a Christmas movie. There was Christmas music playing softly in the background, and a tasteful amount of snow accumulated on the outside of the windows. They had gotten a puny Charlie Brown looking Christmas tree, but the way they’d decorated it made it look anything but sad._ _

__Rhett had cooked a southern-inspired dinner to thank Link for all he’d done for him in the short time they’d known one another. He had also been eager to showcase his skills in the kitchen._ _

__After dinner they picked out a holiday movie to watch, nuzzling into their respective ends of the sofa. So comfortable in the nightly routines they had established over the short period of time._ _

__“You know you can stop thanking me for all this, Rhett. It’s not like I haven’t gotten anything out of it.”_ _

__“Well, I’m sure you thought you’d be getting more help when you decided to hire me on for the holiday season. I’ve just given you more work.”_ _

__“You don’t honestly believe I’ve been taking care of you so good just because you’re a business investment?”_ _

__“Well, maybe not as calculated as that. But I think you’re a good boss. Who cares about his employees.”_ _

__“Well, I wasn’t referring to you being my employee when I said I was gettin’ something out of this. I meant getting to spend time with you. I really like you. And I do care about you. But not just as my employee. And if you think I’m looking to get rid of you, in any capacity, after the holiday season... Well, you’d be wrong about that.”_ _

__Rhett almost didn’t know what to say. He was silent for a moment. Watching the reflection of the twinkling fairy lights decorating the tree dancing in Link’s glasses._ _

__“Do you think,” Rhett began cautiously, “You might wanna watch the movie from this end of the sofa?”_ _

__Link smiled shyly as he scooted over to sit next to Rhett. He lifted a hand to tentatively stroke Rhett’s soft beard. Rhett took the cue to lean down to meet Link’s lips._ _

__Barbara and Jade looked sideways at their humans. Curious about this face-smooshing ritual; but finally snuggling up together in one doggie bed, dozing off to the quiet background sounds of the movie._ _


End file.
